Remembering Dr. King

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As sunlight streamed through the 20-foot-tall glass walls of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library foyer, people from all walks of life gathered Jan. 15 to sing, dance and speak in memory of the nation’s beloved civil rights leader.

Organizers dedicated this year’s King Day event to Nelson Mandela, given both men were “united in the struggle to combat human suffering.”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” said Dorothy Poole, chief of staff for the Office of the President.

Quoting King during her remarks, she noted that while conditions in our country have improved in some ways, college graduation rates for people of color continue to lag, a point especially relevant in this library, which jointly serves the city and university.

As the program ended, the voices of everyone in attendance echoed up through a permanent banner display overhead. One featuring Dr. King is especially poignant this year.

His quote? “The complete education gives one not only the power of concentration but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.”